Shoelace
by silenced22
Summary: Him and Lacey are similar situations. Could it be fate that brought them together or just mere coincidence? Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI:NY stuff.


Lacey slowly climbed out of the cab. The crisp November wind whipped Lacey's dark chocolate hair in her face, momentarily blinding her. She took two steps and almost was taken out by a passing car. She crossed in front of the taxi and took off to the bar. The cold bit at her fingers and nose in just the few moments she was outside.

She entered the toasty bar and took a seat at one of the high tables surrounding the pool tables. Lacey peeled off the many layers and whispered under her breath, "God I hate New York." After grabbed a cold beer from the bar, she sat on the stool and observed the many people in the establishment. It was crowded for a Wednesday night. People were gathered in groups around the pool tables, around the plasma screens with different sports events, and of course around the bar. Lacey just sat quietly, watching.

Lacey's thoughts swirled in her head like an angry hurricane. Her boyfriend of three years, Peter, had broken her heart for the last time. She caught him cheating again. That was four times now. He gave her the same old sap story, apologized over and over again, but Lacey wasn't having any of it. She deserved something more, something better than him.

She sat silently sulking. She stared at her beer as if it was going to do a trick. Lacey didn't know what made her look up but she felt like something urged her to break the gaze from her bar and glance in the direction of the bar. At that instant her eyes locked with crystal blue ones that matched her own in color and sadness. She wanted to look away but found herself staring even more, intrigued by this man she was staring at.

She finally broke the gaze. She turned to the side and started to stare at one of the hockey games playing on one of the plasmas. She could still feel the man's stare lingering on her. She wanted to run and hide but she couldn't. She was frozen in place. Lacey dared not to turn around from the tv to face the beautiful eyes with the sadness embedded within, much like her own.

"Hey Flack!" Danny called from one of the pool tables near the corner.

Don snapped out of his trance and walked over to Danny but not without trying to catch another glimpse of the mystery woman. Danny always new what to do to cheer Don up. Danny was Don's best friend, hands down. He reached the table, took of his jacket and threw it over one of the stools to the bar table next to them. Danny had already ordered them a round that was happily awaiting Don. He grabbed his beer and took a swig. He was hoping Danny wouldn't notice him look over at the women from a few moments ago but Danny was watching him with interest and concern for his friend. He turned around to look in the direction of Don's glare.

"What are you lookin' at?" Danny asked.

Don looked back at him, "Nothin', you ready to get your ass kicked?"

Danny finally spotted what Don was looking at, "Ready to move on already? I see you lookin' at the dame ova at that table," Danny observed her a little more and added, "She looks upset. Whats a beautiful thing like her doin' in a bar like this, washin' her worries away." Danny looked back at Don, "You should go talk to her."

Don shook his head slowly, "Nah, I ain't ready to move on just yet." Don fixed on the eight ball. Don began thinking about the one person he wanted to forget, Megan. They had been dating for only a few months but everything felt right to Don. He felt like maybe she would be the one but he was wrong. _Why is it every time you find a good one they have to find someone better?_ He thought.

Danny watched the emotions play across Don's face and in his eyes. He knew this man better than anyone because that's what best friends are for and he knew what Don was thinking. "Stop it," Danny said, "Stop thinking 'bout her. She wasn't good enough for you, plain 'n simple. You're ganna find something better then what you had with her. You need something new," he told his friend.

Don shrugged, "Maybe you're right." He took the first shot at the pool table as they began their first game.

Lacey was glad that the man had forgotten about her. She returned to her brooding. She stole a couple of glances over to the pool table where the tall, dark haired, blue eyed man was playing pool with his slightly shorter, blonde friend. On the third time she glanced over, she made eye contact with the blonde one. _Uh oh_ she thought. She quickly looked away to the bar, debating getting up and getting another beer or getting up and leaving.

Danny nodded towards Lacey's direction, "Your girlfriends lookin' over here," he informed Don. Don finished his shot, stood up straight, and looked over at her table. He turned way and looked down to the ground at his feet.

"You wanna talk about her?" Danny asked.

Don looked back up and sighed, "I was just walkin' in to find you and our eyes met. It was like time stopped 'n all there was was me and her. I know how stupid that sounds but that's what it felt like Dan. And in her eyes I could see everything I felt. She looked sad, depressed. I couldn't look away until she looked away," Don explained.

Danny nodded, "I was talkin' about Megan but that's all right. We'll start with the mystery woman. Why don't you get the balls and go talk to her? You're both here tonight for the same reason. Lindsay would say that it was fate but then again Lindsay is a woman."

They both chuckled at the thought of Lindsay saying something sentimental and romantic. Don joked, "I think she's rubbin' off on ya, Danny."

"Watch it Flack," Danny jabbed back. It was all he could come up with.

Don finished his beer and looked at Danny's. It was also empty. He held his beer up, "You want anotha one?" he asked. Danny nodded and Don walked towards the bar to grab another round.

Lacey finished her beer and sat there for a bit, thinking about all that happened in just a mere 24 hours.

He came to see her here in New York or so she thought. Peter had been her love of three years, _but how long did he actually love me? God, I am such an idiot. _She told him that she would be going out to grab food from the store, he said he'd stay there. He said he was tired from the plane ride. She didn't think anything of it. She got half way to the store and realized she forgot her credit card. She headed back to the apartment to find Peter in her bed with another women. The fought like they always do, she kicked the woman out, they fought some more, and she kicked him out. She sat and cried for what seemed like hours until she decided she wanted to change rooms. The guest bedroom would now be her room. After all that she sat and cried some more until she decided she wanted a drink so she left and went to the first bar she saw.

Lacey decided she wasn't ready to go home so she got up and went to grab another beer. When she got to the bar the bartender came over to her. He was an older gentleman with soft, understanding eyes and a heart warming smile.

"Another beer missy?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded, "Yes, another one please."

He grabbed another beer and opened it for her, "Rough night?" he asked.

"You could say that," she replied. She liked the man and she wanted someone to talk to.

"You can see that in yer eyes. It's like the story plays out in 'em. Someone hurt you didn't they?"

She looked down, "Yes," was all she said.

"Well, you'll find someone new 'n you'll fall in love. He may even be in this very bar. You never know missy," the bar man assured. With that he walked away to another customer ready to order.

Lacey got turned around, still focusing on her feet. She seemed to take a new interest in them. But she wasn't looking where she was going and smashed right into a man walking to the bar. Her beer fell to the floor with a crack and busted open all over.

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry. I should have been watching where I was going," she apologized as she bent down to pick up pieces of the glass. The man bent down to help.

"No, it's my fault. I wasn't watching either," he explained.

She looked up at him and their eyes met for the second time that night.


End file.
